It's been too long since I posted anything.
Since then, I have broken up with my boyfriend, mostly for reasons of God. I am hurting, but not beyond repair. It was a good decision, and I regret nothing. I do, however, miss him more than I thought possible. But that is not the point of this post.
The point is that I am happy, oddly enough. Through this pain, God is showing me people in my life who are here to help me and to simply love me. My best friend came home today from college to spend my birthday with me. I am ecstatic!
I would also like to mention another source of happiness in my life right now. As you may be noticing, it is 2:40am where I am at this moment, and I'm blogging. I should be asleep. But I'm on a cloud...in a way. To explain, I must tell a brief story.
Two years ago, I met a boy. I was captivated by his appearance, drawn by his beautiful tenor voice, and mesmerized by his passion for both God and music. It was love at first meeting, really. He then disappeared from my life for months, with no notice whatsoever. I truly believe that God brought us back together, and we became close friends very quickly. We even shared one date before he headed across the country to a Christian university to study music. It has been quite the journey for our friendship, but we have recently reconnected. And I must say, he is making me very very happy.
His vitality and zeal never cease to amaze me. The light of Christ shines through him like no other person I've met. He is talented, and uses his talents for God. He is kind and caring, encouraging me to remain strong in my faith. All in all, he is a gift from God in my life, and I could not be more thankful.
I felt the need to share this with you, my readers. If I have any. If not, God knows. It has been a great day.
God Bless,
Amanda
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Just a Note on College Group
Tonight, I began attending a brand new group run by a married couple at my church. The group is for those of us who have recently graduated from high school, to those who are about 22 years of age. The group is focused on diving into God's word, connecting to each other, and serving together. I had a really nice time tonight. It was a bit uncomfortable at first, but once things got rolling, it was a good night. There are people in the group whom I have known for quite some time, and others whom I didn't know at all. I am trying to keep an open mind and heart with this new group, and what God has planned for us. I trust His plan and I am willing to see where He takes me through this group.
I will hopefully have more to say about this group as the weeks go by. I'm praying that God will work through me in the group, and that I will be able to not only get something out of it, but help others get something out of it as well.
God bless,
Amanda
I will hopefully have more to say about this group as the weeks go by. I'm praying that God will work through me in the group, and that I will be able to not only get something out of it, but help others get something out of it as well.
God bless,
Amanda
Monday, August 31, 2009
"Diseases"
I know I just posted something mainly on the topic of sex, but something else is on my heart, and I feel the need to share it. I hope that what I'm about to say doesn't hurt anyone's feelings.
Alcoholism is NOT a disease. Neither is drug abuse. Nor is addiction to pornography, adultery, or any other addiction.
The moment the people of this generation began calling these things diseases, we all stopped being responsible for ourselves. I may be young, but I know that this is wrong. We have lost all accountability. And it makes me sick.
So stop calling them diseases. Don't place blame on anyone but yourself for the struggles you are having. And most importantly, turn to God to help you out of it. He can do all things. And you can do all things through Him. Trust Him to pull you out of this. I would be happy to pray for you if you like, and I'm hoping if you are reading this, that you realize that I am speaking the truth in love, as the Lord has commanded, not out of malice. I care about all of you, and I believe with all my heart that God will take care of you. Please, do not hesitate to seek Godly advice and help. I'm sure I will have more to say on this topic later, but for now, that is all.
God bless,
Amanda
Alcoholism is NOT a disease. Neither is drug abuse. Nor is addiction to pornography, adultery, or any other addiction.
The moment the people of this generation began calling these things diseases, we all stopped being responsible for ourselves. I may be young, but I know that this is wrong. We have lost all accountability. And it makes me sick.
So stop calling them diseases. Don't place blame on anyone but yourself for the struggles you are having. And most importantly, turn to God to help you out of it. He can do all things. And you can do all things through Him. Trust Him to pull you out of this. I would be happy to pray for you if you like, and I'm hoping if you are reading this, that you realize that I am speaking the truth in love, as the Lord has commanded, not out of malice. I care about all of you, and I believe with all my heart that God will take care of you. Please, do not hesitate to seek Godly advice and help. I'm sure I will have more to say on this topic later, but for now, that is all.
God bless,
Amanda
The Secret Lives of American Teenagers
Being a Secret Life of the American Teenager fan, I must say that tonight's new episode left me feeling a little strange. Having watched since the first episode, I feel a bit like I know these people. I specifically identify with Grace, due to my Christian background, moral compass, and image as a "good girl." But each character on the show has helped me to see different things about life in general, and also about my own personal life.
The show centers around the issues of love and sex, especially within the world of high school. The characters all deal with love and sex in different ways, but they all definitely deal with both. Grace, who believes in abstinence, ends up having sex with her boyfriend Jack, and, in doing so, she believes her father's death is her own fault. Amy had sex with Rickey, and got pregnant, had her son, John, and is raising him with Rickey's help, at the young age of 15. But she is in love with Ben. That is all just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to these issues in the context of the show.
That brings me to my point. Every single day, young people in this country are faced with difficult choices. Choices about sex, choices about love, about drugs, alcohol, and countless other things. I'm not saying that sex is bad, that teens can't be in love, or that alcoholism is our country's greatest issue. What I am saying is that choosing not to have sex is a right, and one that I hold dear. I am a firm believer in sex only within the confines of marriage. That is the way God defined it and created it to be, and I plan to live according to God's plan. I'm not trying to force anyone to see things my way, or do things the way that I do. But I am hoping that somewhere, somebody realizes that their choice to abstain is a good one, and that I am encouraging somebody to do what I believe is right.
American teenagers are bombarded with issues like this daily. And while the show does not always create a realistic picture, it does a great job of showing the way teens deal with the pressures they face, in a real way. Some give in, some don't. Some believe in the sanctity of marriage, and others do not. It's just like life. So, I hope this may have shed a bit of light on something I feel strongly about. And I hope this is glorifying to God.
God bless,
Amanda
The show centers around the issues of love and sex, especially within the world of high school. The characters all deal with love and sex in different ways, but they all definitely deal with both. Grace, who believes in abstinence, ends up having sex with her boyfriend Jack, and, in doing so, she believes her father's death is her own fault. Amy had sex with Rickey, and got pregnant, had her son, John, and is raising him with Rickey's help, at the young age of 15. But she is in love with Ben. That is all just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to these issues in the context of the show.
That brings me to my point. Every single day, young people in this country are faced with difficult choices. Choices about sex, choices about love, about drugs, alcohol, and countless other things. I'm not saying that sex is bad, that teens can't be in love, or that alcoholism is our country's greatest issue. What I am saying is that choosing not to have sex is a right, and one that I hold dear. I am a firm believer in sex only within the confines of marriage. That is the way God defined it and created it to be, and I plan to live according to God's plan. I'm not trying to force anyone to see things my way, or do things the way that I do. But I am hoping that somewhere, somebody realizes that their choice to abstain is a good one, and that I am encouraging somebody to do what I believe is right.
American teenagers are bombarded with issues like this daily. And while the show does not always create a realistic picture, it does a great job of showing the way teens deal with the pressures they face, in a real way. Some give in, some don't. Some believe in the sanctity of marriage, and others do not. It's just like life. So, I hope this may have shed a bit of light on something I feel strongly about. And I hope this is glorifying to God.
God bless,
Amanda
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Palma Deus
Hello, world. I am Amanda, and I've been inspired by many many things in my life to start a blog, most recently, the movie Julie & Julia. If you haven't seen it, go see it. I loved it, and it inspired me to blog. I will not, however, be cooking anything. I am a terrible cook. No, this blog is about other things. Namely about bringing glory to God through whatever I am doing. Hence the name. Palma Deus translates to "Glory to You, God," in Latin, my all-time favorite language. While I do not speak it, I sing it quite frequently, and I absolutely love the way it sounds. That said, a bit about myself.
I am a young lady in love with Jesus. The real Jesus. If there is anything in the world I can do to help you know Him, I will. I feel a strong calling to preach the true Jesus and Gospels to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints especially, but anyone of any faith or no faith at all who wants to know Him is more than welcome to ask me. I may not have all the answers, but I will always do the best I can to help you know and love Him.
I am also a singer. I have been blessed with a gift and a passion for music, and I intend to use it to glorify God for my entire life. I plan on studying music through college, and hopefully teaching it, and using it to bring others to Christ. I particularly love American musical theatre, pop/rock, and contemporary Christian music. I compete in local singing contests occasionally, and I have auditioned for American Idol in the past. After the Lord, music is one of the greatest sources of joy in my life.
I hope to update this blog often. I plan on writing about my life, my struggles, my loves, my losses, and everything in between. I hope that somewhere, somebody reading this will find what they are looking for.
God bless,
Amanda
I am a young lady in love with Jesus. The real Jesus. If there is anything in the world I can do to help you know Him, I will. I feel a strong calling to preach the true Jesus and Gospels to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints especially, but anyone of any faith or no faith at all who wants to know Him is more than welcome to ask me. I may not have all the answers, but I will always do the best I can to help you know and love Him.
I am also a singer. I have been blessed with a gift and a passion for music, and I intend to use it to glorify God for my entire life. I plan on studying music through college, and hopefully teaching it, and using it to bring others to Christ. I particularly love American musical theatre, pop/rock, and contemporary Christian music. I compete in local singing contests occasionally, and I have auditioned for American Idol in the past. After the Lord, music is one of the greatest sources of joy in my life.
I hope to update this blog often. I plan on writing about my life, my struggles, my loves, my losses, and everything in between. I hope that somewhere, somebody reading this will find what they are looking for.
God bless,
Amanda
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